Qualifying rainout puts Brad Keselowski on Las Vegas pole

LAS VEGAS, Nev.-Brad Keselowski had only one regret about starting on the pole for Sunday's Kobalt Tools 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

He was sorry he didn't bet on the rainout that put him there.

Unrelenting rainy weather washed out all NASCAR Sprint Cup Series activities at Las Vegas on Friday, including the scheduled qualifying session for Sunday's race.

With the lineup set according to the rule book, the 2012 Cup champion was awarded the top starting spot based on last year's car owner points. Title runner-up Clint Bowyer will start beside Keselowski on the front row, followed by five-time champ Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne, Greg Biffle and Denny Hamlin.

"Being the champion, in the first few races, obviously you've got a great deal there," Keselowski said. "This is the first time I've ever had a decent starting position in a rainout. So that's great. I feel pretty good about that.

"I was just thinking when I walked in, with this being Vegas and all, what the odds would have been for a rainout in Las Vegas. The only way I'd be doing better is if I had that bet... But, obviously, whenever you can start up front, it's a big deal, get that first pit stall and all those things that really make a difference on pit road."

Had he asked for a proposition bet, Keselowski probably could have gotten long odds on the rainout. None of the qualifying sessions in the previous 15 years had a weather problem.

In fact, in 47 previous Las Vegas events across NASCAR's top three touring series combined, only the 2003 Sam's Town 300 Nationwide Series race had time trials canceled because of rain.